Saturday Could Signal a Day of Enlightenment

If the 1999 NFL draft does not produce one quarterback in the same class as Dan Marino--or even Ken O’Brien--it will nevertheless be remembered as historic.

Three--and possibly four--African American quarterbacks are expected to be drafted in the first round. Two--Oregon’s Akili Smith and Syracuse’s Donovan McNabb--are projected to be among the top three players chosen Saturday, with Central Florida’s Daunte Culpepper slotted somewhere in the top 15 and Tulane’s Shaun King a borderline late first-rounder.

In the history of the NFL, only three African American quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round: Doug Williams by Tampa Bay in 1978, Andre Ware by the Detroit Lions in 1990 and Steve McNair by the Houston Oilers in 1995.

Call it turn-of-the-millennium enlightenment. Call it the overdue demolition of the stereotype that African Americans make great quarterbacks in college because they are great “athletes,” which, in turn, supposedly makes them ideally suited for a transition to wide receiver or running back--speed positions--once they turn pro.

Or, from the purely pragmatic viewpoint of an NFL personnel director, call it finding the quarterback best equipped to cope with the demands and challenges of modern professional football.

“I think what’s really happened is the ability to be athletic and scramble and throw has become more important in the NFL,” says San Diego State Coach Ted Tollner, a former quarterback coach in the NFL. “I’ve never believed that making good decisions or being a polished passer had anything to do with race. That’s ridiculous.

“There’s much more of a priority now on a quarterback being able to do what Elway did when he was younger and what Steve Young has done--to make plays out of no plays, because they’re athletic. . . .

“The emphasis now is on mobility. And that group [of quarterbacks] that happen to be African American has the mobility and can do the passing-skill things.”

USC Coach Paul Hackett joined the college coaching ranks in 1998 after 17 years in the NFL. He believes that the advent of the blitz zone defense in the NFL has put a premium on quarterbacks who can move out of the pocket and, once moving, can throw on the run.

“It’s my sense that a quarterback being more of an athlete is more advantageous than ever before,” Hackett says.

Whatever the reason, the bottom line is this: On Saturday, in the span of a few hours, the number of African American quarterbacks to have been selected in the first round of the NFL draft will double.

“It’s probably time we got headed in the right direction,” Hackett says. “Get this turned around.”

Quarterback Parade

How quarterback selection in vaunted 1983 draft compares to this year’s crop:

1983 DRAFT

Quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 1983 draft and player selection number:

1. John Elway, Stanford, by Baltimore.

7. Todd Blackledge, Penn State, by Kansas City.

14. Jim Kelly, Miami (Fla.), by Buffalo.

15. Tony Eason, Illinois, by New England.

24. Ken O’Brien, UC Davis, by New York Jets.

27. Dan Marino, Pittsburgh, by Miami.

1999 DRAFT

Projected order of quarterbacks taken in first round of the 1999 draft. Before this year, the only African-American quarterbacks taken in first round were Doug Williams (Tampa Bay, 1978), Andre Ware (Detroit, 1990) and Steve McNair (Houston, 1995). This year Akili Smith, Donovan McNabb and Daunte Culpepper are projected first-rounders, and Shaun King could be a fourth:

* Top 5: Tim Couch, Kentucky; Akili Smith, Oregon; Donovan McNabb, Syracuse.

* Top 10: Daunte Culpepper, Central Florida.

* Top 15: Cade McNown, UCLA.

* Late First Round: Shaun King, Tulane.